apron in paris

Do you remember playing jump rope with friends? One friend would stand at each end of the rope, swinging it, and you were just waiting for the right moment to jump in? That's kind of how I've felt about this. I've been toying with the idea of joining in on one of Angry Chicken's tie one on apron challenges for a long time. I guess I just needed a theme that I could really get into. And what better theme is there than Paris? Okay, maybe chocolate, which btw would be a great theme too. So I'm jumping in! My sweet friend Heather over at bebeandalice has decided to take this on too which makes me oh-so happy since she's one of the coolest esty-ecofashionista's evah!

Pop on over to tie one on if you'd like to join in on the Parisian-inspired apron fun. Hrm, I'm wonder if I can write-off a little vacay to France for inspiration?

Wait a minute

Holiday projects are waiting to be conceived.

Wine, leftover from a recent dinner party, is waiting to be finished off.

Thrifted wool sweaters are waiting to be felted.

 

Good books and a comfy chair are waiting to be enjoyed.

It's all waiting on me. My attention. Oh how I wish I had the time to spend a full day at my sewing machine; plotting, stitching, making things happen. Time to photograph it all, blog about it, post it and hopefully, sell it! Or just some downtime, that would be sweet. Instead I am making other things happen. Helping a friend in need keep her business afloat while she recovers from some pretty serious surgeries. Stretching myself between everything and still trying to keep homeschooling our top priority. It's all good but it certainly is a different plan than I had for myself and for Liza Jane this fall. Someone told me once that man makes plans and God laughs. While I personally don't believe that God is cynical, I have experienced quite alot of derailment from my plans, especially lately. Seems to be the theme for 2010. My husband's motto is adapt and overcome. I'm trying. I remind myself that we are a homeschool family that works; not the other way around. Priorities in check it's about balancing today the best way we know how. Just like you do. Just like we all do. So tell me, what's waiting on you?

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

After the apron fiasco, it was time for me to take on a simpler project. I decided to repurpose the rest of the fabric from the thrifted skirts to make birds. I used this loverly pattern from spool, where it's offered "for personal use only, thank you." I kicked it up an oh-so-dreamy notch by adding lavender buds to the fiberfill. {sniff...melt} Now I'm working on creating my own pattern so that I can make some for resale. I plan to post my pattern and tutorial ~ for freesies ~ once it's ready. Because sharing is good.

Try, try again

Have I really only posted 7 times in the last 8 months? That's just lame. My life got really crazy for a while and chickaboom just didn't make my flaming hot to-do list.

But life has settled down and I'm settling into my wings again. I really want to thank all of my sweet friends and family for your support, love and friendship. To all my groovy readers, thanks for your patience and loyalty. You are all 10 kinds of awesome!

This week I dusted off my sewing machine and started into some long overdue projects. Ideas I've had brewing in my mind for months, or longer, are finally taking shape. It feels so good to dive into these new projects. At the same time, I see that I've got some obstacles to overcome where my technical sewing skills are concerned. I'm thinking I would really benefit from a basic sewing class where I can relearn all the foundational stuff. Right now my ideas far outweigh my skillset which is making the things I want to do really challenging.

For example, let's have a look at Exhibit A, the white & black floral apron you see above. It's a refashion project I've had in mind for months: a thrift store skirt I envisioned as a sassy little apron. It looks cute right? Well it's not that cute up close, trust me. The picture is hiding a multitude of sewing sins. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong while making this apron. When I was ripping out the left side seam, the fabric tore - and not just a little - we're talking about a 6" horizontal tear. While trying to stitch that up, my sewing machine ate the fabric and the only way I could free it was by cutting it again. Then I decided I would round the bottom edges a bit, except that I don't remember how to do that. At least not properly. So I fudged it. It's also not lined so it's more a rough prototype than anything. I attribute the attractive photo to my daughter's general cuteness, visible even when she's photographed from the waist down. :) The natural folds in the fabric do hide the mistakes pretty well. The bottom line is it's fine for her to wear around the house but I could never sell something this flawed.

So why am I confessing a #sewingfail when I am about to launch my etsy shop where I'll be selling hand-sewn items? Because I want to encourage anyone who has a dream to stick with it. Don't be afraid to step out and try something new. If you are willing to humble yourself and learn, you can succeed at anything you put your mind and your heart into. Don't sweat your mistakes, learn from them. Do what you love and keep trying. 

I've got ideas in my head for aprons and all sorts of refashioned designs. The next step for me is to learn the skills to make them happen. How? By finding someone who has those skills that is willing to teach them to me. In the meantime, I'll stick with simpler projects while I'm building my skills. I plan to take you along on this journey, after all we're all in this together right?  *wink*

Sweet Dreams Heat Therapy Pillow

Here's a sneak-peek at one of the new handmade products I've been working on for my soon-to-be-launched etsy shop. I'd like to introduce you to the Soothing Peppermint Moist Heat Therapy pillow. This one measures 6.5" x 13" which fits well against a tense neck, across a crampy tummy or over an achey shoulder or elbow. It's made from upcycled fabrics; in this case, a genty-used but apparently unwanted bed pillow. Inside this toile and damask bag (which has a velcro closure at one end) is a separate muslin bag filled with long grain rice infused with peppermint essential oil. Just pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes and voila; warm refreshingly-scented comfort! I made one of these for my good friend Mary Beth as a Christmas gift. She called me a few days later to tell me how much she loved it and asked me to make a larger one for her. I'm also working on a softer flannel version for kids to snuggle with on chilly nights and one for pets. I need to do a little aromatherapy homework, but so far I'm thinking I'll offer peppermint, lavender and lemongrass.

I'd love to have some feedback from my readers. What size would work well for your heat therapy needs? What scent would you prefer? Having your input helps me make a better product. I look forward to reading your comments. Thanks so much!

*Yikes* Just realized I hadn't added a link to where I got the pattern/tutorial from. Thanks SewMamaSew, for all the amazing sewing ideas and info you share, not to mention your awesome fabric store. You rock!

Etsy Fab Four

I thought it would be fun to share the etsy goodness of four of my very best girlfriends today. I'm grateful to have each of these beautiful, wonderfully talented and truly sweet women in my life. So pop over to their shops and check out their handmade fabulousness.

bebe + alice

Eco Friendly Bird Decor by bebeandalice - Aren't these birds lovely? Heather has a nice variety of refashioned and eco-eclectic goodies. Her ideas are so fresh and inspiring.

Time Travel Tea Party

I just love this Time Traveler Necklace. Courtney has an amazing variety of steampunkable and vintage findings. Her store makes me feel like I'm treasure hunting in an old attic.


strongrrl

I really love the look of Julie's August Fields Frenchy Bag. A great casual bag for everyday! She's also has some great farmers market bags at her shop.

Pesky Cat Designs

The Offbeat Messenger bag with bird applique. How yummy is this bag for fall? I love Elisa's design style; her mix of colors, fabrics and textures bring sophistication and fun to every one of her creations.

Before & After: The Blue Chair

Before - the sad blue castaway chair

I found this vintage chair at a yard sale about 2 weeks ago. The chair was structurally solid and the cushions were in great shape. I loved the vibrant blue paint but the black denim pinstriped fabric had to go. The man selling the chair was amazed that I was able to make it fit in my Prius. "Never underestimate a woman who's thrifting," I said with a smile as I closed the hatch on my car. I brought the chair home and spent the afternoon making new cushion covers from a stash of blue toile I'd picked up at Goodwill a few months back. The thrifted fabric matched perfectly and it turns out to be a rather smart looking piece of furniture. A few days later, I popped it back into my car and took it to my antique booth at the Greenwood Country Store to resell. I think it will make a lovely addition to someones home. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?


After - the chair is much more cheerful now!

Boojiboo Apron Giveaway

I came across this terrific giveaway over at Kathleen's site Grosgrain -- and I just had to share it! These aprons are really cute. Head on over to Grosgrain: Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY for your chance to win one of these lovelies.

I am happily in the kitchen alot more these days, so I could really use a fabulous apron to dote around in. I am actually working on a few designs of my own. I picked up a cute black & white polka dot skirt at a thrift store that I'm planning to refashion into an apron. I also have some steampunk-retro concepts in my head, kind of kitchen-diva meets dreamy-alchemist. I hope they turn out as cool as I imagine them to be. For today I'm off to clean house, bake bread and price new items for my antique booth. The kids are enjoying the balance of chores and playtime, keeps them honest. I hope all of you are well and have a lovely day!

March of the Tool: Janome HT2008

I’ve had 3 sewing machines so far in my life. I started out on a used Singer that my dear Nannie got for me at her senior center’s swap shop back in 1993. I didn’t know anything about sewing or using a sewing machine. It was a mid-1970’s model — not the most reliable gadget — but it taught me the basics. That first Christmas with my machine, I toiled away making dozens of handmade gifts. I picked up velvet scraps at the fabric store and made little apple-shaped red velvet pincushions. I made my mother an oversized Christmas tree skirt with cherub dotted fabric and gold rope-piping trim (yes, that was in style back then). I was constantly figuring and scheming, making up my own patterns since I didn’t know how to read a real pattern. Our extra bedroom became a sewing room/study. It was a sweet time. I had no idea what I was doing but I loved every minute of it.

Two years later when we moved to Dallas, I decided it was time to upgrade and take some basic sewing classes. So I picked up a wonderfully sturdy used Bernina 930. Fantastic machine, did everything I wanted it to. For some odd reason that machine broke needles on almost every project. It was also incredibly heavy; I really struggled toting it to and from the sewing shop for my weekly lesson. My first pregnancy in 1998 hurled me (yes, there was alot of hurling) into serious sewing and nesting mode. I made bumper pads, baby quilts, flannel receiving blankets, etc. After my daughter was born I slid into my simple-shapes-sewing mode. We moved to Virginia and I focused on sewing projects for our new home, curtains mostly, but a few valances and tablecloths. Once I had my son in 2001, my sewing slowed to a crawl. My days were spent growing my freelance design business, balancing volunteer work, homemaking and two little ones. I’d slipped into necessity-sewing-only mode. That’s basically where I’ve stayed since.

Until last year, that is. Inspired by my wonderful neighbor and soul-sister Bonnie (who by the way is an incredible seamstress) and my very talented friend Debbie (who makes lovely colonial period clothing at nouveauchic), I put my Bernina on ebay and bought myself a brand new machine! For those of you that know me, I’ve got quite a reputation for doing an annoying amount of homework before I buy anything. I looked at Bernina again, both new & used, but couldn’t justify the price. Then I discovered Janome. Quiet, modern, lightweight, easy to use and affordable. I was sold. My Janome Heart Truth sewing machine is wonderful. It has an exclusive Superior Feed System, 3 different 1-step buttonholes and 50 unique stitches. I love how easy it is to use. The LED display and settings are incredibly easy to navigate. Changing out feet is a snap, literally! It doesn’t have a ton of bells & whistles but plenty for me right now. I wanted a machine that I could gel with and stretch my skills, but also one that was simple enough for my daughter to learn on. Sewing is fun again, thanks to this fabulous tool from Janome :-)

yesterday's pants

Part One: The Skinny on the Skivvies

A few months ago I came across this really cool fabric, cleverly disguised as size 20W ladies capri pants. They were brand spankin' new and I loved the pattern. Gotta love my thrift stores - where else can you find a great piece of fabric for $2? At first I was bummed because I thought it was a skirt; that would have given me alot more to work with. But because of the size there was still plenty. So I snapped them up with plans to upcycle/refashion them. Well today, thanks to the ice storm, I am home with some time to spare. Just after checking the local news and seeing that the schools were closed, I went to etsy searching for the perfect purse. For those of you that don't see me often, I have been toting around this sorry excuse for a purse since last summer. And I complain about it all the time. I think you know where I'm going with this...a little free time + inspiration = aha!


Part Two: Measure Twice, Cut Once

I decided to make my own bag with custom interior pockets for my cell phone, notepad, planner and favorite pen. Everything all tidy and organized -- just the idea of it makes me happy! I've missed more calls fishing around in my old dreaded purse because everything lumps up in the bottom. And strap length - very important. It's almost revolutionary making a purse to suit your OWN needs (or maybe rather colonial actually). Now you have to take into consideration that I am no seamstress. Just a wanna-be. But what's the difference really between design on paper and design with fabric? 21 years of graphic design has taught me well about spatial geometry. The pic above shows the leg I cut off of the pants, using the top piece for the main part of the purse and the bottom piece for the interior pockets. I ended up having to tear out one of the side seams which was a bit of a pain but good practice. After a few calculations, some experimental pinning and a little cursing came the end result.


Part Three: Necessity IS the Mother of Invention

Here it is! I can hardly wait for the ice to melt so my tote can make its public debut. It's not perfect, but it houses all my stuff neatly, looks smart and cost me only a few dollars. I learned a ton of lessons that I will apply to my next purse project. And hey, it's almost February. That's our biggest winter-weather month here in central Virginia, so bring on the snow! I know I've got some other fabric stashed away ;-)